Emerging Artists Program
History & Mission
The Emerging Artists Program was first implemented in June 2006 for The Barber of Seville. An important component of SPO’s mission is to provide stimulating artistic challenges in a professional setting for opera performers in various stages of their development. Participants are generally nearing the end of their educational studies or in the beginnings of their professional career, but there is no strict age requirement. Artists attend all rehearsals of the principal cast, learning not only the music for the character they are covering, but also the staging and dialogue. In addition, the participants have their own rehearsals and coaching sessions with Maestro Mark Sforzini, and the Stage Director. A unique feature of our program is that the artists are given an opportunity to rehearse with full orchestra, an experience that is invaluable to an aspiring opera performer’s preparation for a role.
This year in conjunction with our Merry Widow production our Emerging Artists also prepared Italian Opera Scenes for a master class with SPO Special Guest, Maestro Tito Capobianco. Several of the Emerging Artists also rehearsed and gave promotional performances all over the Tampa Bay Area. These events included the Florida Suncoast Opera Guild’s annual Silver Bells fundraiser (Meet Me at Maxim’s), Pinellas Opera League, Saturday Morning Market and First Night St. Petersburg. All of the artists participating in the program perform in some capacity in the main stage production, unless, of course, they are called to substitute for the principal artist. In The Merry Widow, our Emerging Artists performed in the Chorus, as Grisettes and in comprimario roles.
Our current Emerging Artists (EA) session will run from May 19 to June 12, 2009. Artists were chosen at our most recent round of auditions held in February 2009. In addition to their participation in our La Traviata production, five of them will play the principal roles in our Barber of St. Pete production. They will also be giving outreach performances at the Florida Suncoast Opera Guild, Saturday Morning Market, Leadership St. Pete at the Dali Museum and the Bilmar Hotel on Treasure Island.
2009 La Traviata Emerging Artists
- Colin Levin: Baron Douphol (La Traviata); Figaro (Barber of St. Pete)
- Brian Kuhl: Gastone (La Traviata); Almaviva (Barber of St. Pete)
- Sara Peeples: Violetta Cover (La Traviata)
- Benjamin Robinson: Alfredo Cover/Chorus (La Traviata)
- Joseph Ryan: Germont Cover/Chorus (La Traviata)
- Kara Cornell: Flora Cover (La Traviata); Rosina (Barber of St. Pete)
- Phoenix Gayles: Annina Cover/Chorus (La Traviata)
- Rim Karnavicius: Dr. Bartolo (Barber of St. Pete); Chorus (La Traviata)
- Sean Kroll: Dottore Cover /Chorus (La Traviata); Basilio (Barber of St. Pete)
- Joshua Quinn: Baron Douphol & Marquis Covers/Chorus (La Traviata)
St. Petersburg Opera Past Emerging Artists
2009 The Merry Widow Emerging Artists:
- Hanna Glawari: Sara Peeples
- Count Danilo Danilovitsch: Andrew Park
- Baron Mirko Zeta: Joseph Flaxman
- Valencienne: Andrea Lara
- Camille, Count de Rosillon: Stephen Mollica
- Njegus: Colin Levin
- Raoul de St Brioche: Benjamin Robinson
- Vicomte Cascada: Joel Mercer
2008 Don Giovanni Emerging Artists:
- Don Giovanni Cover: Nicholas Provenzale
- Leporello Cover: Zack Rabin
- Donna Anna Cover: Carmen Elisa Cancel and Stephanie Sager
- Donna Elvira Cover: Alexandra Walker and Sara Peeples
- Zerlina Cover: Emily Parrott and Emily Packard
- Don Ottavio Cover: Stephen Mollica
- Masetto Cover: Keith Smith
- Commendatore: Rim Karnavicius
2007 Elixir of Love Emerging Artists:
- Adina Cover: Anna Linvill and Emily Parrott
- Nemorino Cover: Wesley Morgan and Nova Safo
- Dulcamara Cover: Rim Karnavicius and Zack Rabin
- Belcore Cover: Nicholas Provenzale and Will Earl Spanheimer
- Giannetta Cover: Carmen Cancel and Michelle Rego
2007 La Bohème Emerging Artists:
- Marcello Cover: Wade Thomas
- Rodolfo Cover: Derek M. Johnson
- Colline Cover: Mark Payne
- Schaunard Cover: John Wenzel
- Benoit/Alcindoro Cover: Rim Karnivicius
- Mimi Cover: Alexandra Walker and K. Marie Konsol
- Musetta Cover: Marisa Arzillo and Leila Bowie
Emerging Artist Testimonials
"Fantastic Opportunity""Unique to being an Emerging Artist with St Petersburg Opera is the fantastic opportunity to perform a role in its entirety. Just as the principal artists, we work with the director and conductor, including stage rehearsals, a sitzprobe, etc., to making certain every aspect of the production is prepared and performed to the highest level."
- Keith Smith, Don Giovanni Emerging Artist Program, Masetto Cover
"Personalized Attention""...I was afforded a level of feedback and personalized attention that helped me grow as much in three weeks as I had in the previous two years."
- Nova Safo, Elixir of Love Emerging Artist Program, Nemorino Cover
"Wonderful Guide""I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the St Petersburg Opera's Emerging Artist Program. The program is rigorous. I learned alot about the strength, skill, and love it takes to succeed in this business, and I found a mentor. Maestro Sforzini took a deep personal interest in my development as an artist and a musician. He is a superb musician and a wonderful guide."
- Anna Marie Linvill, Adina Cover
"Fine, Energetic Professionals""This is a wonderful opportunity. I learned an incredible amount by singing my first Adele with the benefit of full orchestra rehearsals, costuming and staging. Working with Mr. Sforzini and so many fine, energetic professionals, I can see my growth as a young artist. I am extremely proud of my work with St. Petersburg Opera."
- Candice Hoyes, Cover Artist
"A Memorable Experience""The cover program for the St. Petersburg Opera is truly a great experience for young singers. It gave us a chance to learn roles in a friendlier situation. We had rehearsal time with the orchestra, as well as performing at other venues around the city to promote the show. This was a very memorable experience for someone just starting a career in music performance and I would love to do it again."
- Jeff Bakken, Cover Artist
"Fun and Interactive""The cover program at the Palladium Theatre was both fun and interactive. I was able to sing my entire role with full orchestra at a cover rehearsal and actually performed it for a live audience at a great venue called: Bella Brava. In addition, myself and the other covers received dialogue coachings and were able to work very closely with and learn from our lead counterparts while singing in the chorus. It was a great experience and I definitely left the Palladium ready to perform my role with other companies!"
- Brianne Sura, Cover Artist
"A Nurturing Environment""The Emerging Artist Program at the Palladium Theater has been one of the most influential experiences that I have been a part of. The warm atmosphere provided by the principal artists and staff creates a nurturing environment to learn and grow, while the dramatic and musical standards of conductor, Mark Sforzini, and stage director, Jon Truitt, establish the air of precision and refinement as found in the work of any excellent artist. The Emerging Artists are given numerous opportunities to perform solo with orchestra as well as in other venues around the city during the program. The instruction and knowledge gained from my time at the Palladium has been invaluable to my development as a young artist just as much as the friends and peers who I met during each production."
- Jacob Pence, Cover Artist
"Treated as a Professional""My experience in the Emerging Artist's program with St. Petersburg Opera was a great and positive one. I was treated as a professional from the very beginning. It’s a program that gets you ready for what it’s going to be like in the professional world. They have a very supportive staff. The other singers in the program were also very supportive and friendly. It made the program a very comfortable environment to let go and try new things. The program is one of the few programs where the artist gets the opportunity to study, learn and perform a complete opera. The program stresses the importance of the complete study of a role and the opera by encouraging the artist to research and read any and all materials relating to the opera before it was actually an opera. In addition to that, the artist must concentrate on who the character is, why the character is important to the story and how the character relates to the other characters. This program taught me how to better study a role and a complete opera. The master classes with Mark Sforzini and John Truitt were very educational and enjoyable. The chance to sing with an orchestra and learn an entire role is rare in many programs. I now have more tools for my trade and I know being a part of this program will open many doors for my future."
- Marisa Arzillo, Cover Artist
"Musicians and Artists of the Highest Caliber""The St. Petersburg Opera Emerging Artists program gives me the opportunity to work with other musicians and artists of the highest caliber. The extensive and thorough rehearsals, which also include master classes and various community performances allows a cover artist to hone his or her skills by truly learning and internalizing a role. For me, a soprano of a "certain age" singing as an Emerging Artist is a privilege and a fantastic opportunity not often afforded to those whose college years are past. I believe the St. Petersburg Opera cover program is unique in it's professionalism, musicianship, and for the extensive opportunity offered to participants to excel as professional singers. "
- Michelle Rego, Emerging Artist, Elixir of Love and Don Giovanni
